'Project Runway' Contestant Mychael Knight Passes Away at 39

Mychael Knight, a fashion designer who competed on “Project Runway,” died yesterday morning at a hospital in Atlanta at the age of 39.

The cause of death has not been announced, but TMZ reported that he had been getting treatment for intestinal issues when he passed.

Knight was born in Germany but grew up in Atlanta and competed on season three of “Project Runway” in 2006. He was the fourth runner-up and won the “Fan Favorite” award. He went on to compete in the “Project Runway: All-Star Challenge” special in 2009 and on season three of “Project Runway: All Stars” in 2013.

In July, Knight wrote on his Facebook page that he has been dealing with irritable bowel syndrome for the past five years (the post has since been deleted).

In his post-“Project Runway” career, Knight gathered a celebrity following with his designs and showed at New York Fashion Week in September in a collaboration with fellow “Project Runway” designer Korto Momolu called “The MKKM Experience.”

Jerris Madison, editor of Obvious Magazine and friend of Knight’s, posted a statement on his Instagram page on behalf of the Knight family.

“We are still processing the untimely death of our son, brother, friend, and uncle. Mychael meant everything to us and we loved him dearly. He was generous and so full of life. This is how we choose to remember his legacy,” the statement read.

Erin Migdol is The Mighty's chronic illness editor. She joined The Mighty in 2015 and previously worked at Inside Weddings magazine, Mic, and The Huffington Post. She was also the features editor at The California Aggie, UC Davis' student newspaper. She is honored to be a part of the Mighty community!